Sangakkara calls for Test pay minimum to stop T20 exodus

HONG KONG: Sri Lankan veteran Kumar Sangakkara has called for Test cricket to introduce a minimum match fee for all countries to stop young players ditching the long-form for lucrative Twenty20 leagues.

Sangakkara, the fifth-highest run scorer in the history of Test cricket, retired from the first-class game last year but has continued playing for domestic T20 franchises around the world, including in this week's Hong Kong T20 Blitz.

The 40-year-old praised the shorter format for spreading the game's popularity to new markets but warned that without change Test cricket could face a battle to remain relevant for young players and fans.

"T20 is the ideal format to introduce -- you talk about the Americas, with China," Sangakkara told AFP on Wednesday.

"Since its inception it's been a huge pillar of strength for world cricket.

Currently, international match fees paid to cricketers from different Test nations vary wildly, with the sport's so-called "Big Three" -- India, England and Australia -- far ahead of the rest.

According to a survey last year by ESPN CricInfo, Australia's captain Steven Smith was due to earn $1,469,000 in 2017 while Zimbabwean skipper Graeme Cremer pocketed just $86,000.

Twenty20 competitions have sprung up around the world, from Australia's Big Bash League and India's IPL which stretch out over many weeks to smaller competitions in Hong Kong, Bangladesh, and the UAE which last just a few days.